Boys Lacrosse: SWR gives Tuckers a tough time
WILDCATS 18, TUCKERS 3
The first true glimpse of the Shoreham-Wading River High School boys lacrosse team left little doubt that goal scoring will not be a problem for the Wildcats this season. Nor will face-offs, passing, defense and goaltending, for that matter.
The start of Shoreham’s season, and the Justin Arini era, began Thursday when the Wildcats rolled to victory in convincing fashion, 18-3, over Mattituck/Greenport/Southold in a non-division game at Mattituck High School. Arini, who succeeded Tom Rotanz, becoming only the second coach the Wildcats have ever had, liked what he saw from the defending Long Island Class C champions. Troy Miller, a senior attackman, struck for three goals and three assists. Alex Makoske added three goals and an assist. Ryan Bray and Dalton Baron also recorded hat tricks.
Joseph Miller, Makoske and Miller pumped in the game’s first three goals within 49 seconds of each other. That lead grew to 13-0 before Jack DiGregorio fired in the Tuckers’ first goal with 1:08 left in the second quarter. The goal was assisted by Zach Holmes, who also scored his team’s other two goals.
Michael Loscalzo, one of Shoreham’s 15 seniors, played his first game for the Wildcats in about a year (he sat out most of last season with shoulder injuries). The middie started and played a little over one quarter. He had two assists and put two shots on goal that were saved.
Shoreham goalie Thomas Tatarian made six saves before making way for Bobby Puckey (two saves) in the third quarter.
The Tuckers’ goalie, Alec Durkin, stopped eight shots.
Shoreham, the top-seeded team in Suffolk County Division II, outshot the Tuckers by 24-6 in the first half and by 32-17 for the game.
Like the Wildcats, the Tuckers (1-1) have a new coach as well, John Amato. Amato gained his first win three days earlier, an 11-3 defeat of Copiague. But Amato’s first winning streak wasn’t in the cards Thursday, not against a team of Shoreham’s caliber.
